Book ban Reversed
Posted on May 19, 2015
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“A ban on two Anglican resources used in Special Religious Education (SRE) has been reversed after talks between Archbishop Glenn Davies and the Education Minister Adrian Piccoli…”
– Story from SydneyAnglicans.net.
More: Minister for Education lifts Christian book ban. Earlier: Schools, Scripture and Book Banning in NSW.
Newport Beach Episcopal church to be sold
Posted on May 19, 2015
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“The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles is nearing the end of negotiations to sell St. James the Great Episcopal Church in Newport Beach to real estate developers.
Bishop J. Jon Bruno announced the sale to congregants Sunday, Diocese spokesman Robert Williams said. The sale of the church could bring in roughly $15 million …
A majority of congregants in 2004 voted to disaffiliate with the Episcopal Church for theological and ideological reasons and later aligned with the Anglican Church.”
– See the full report from The Orange County Register. Earlier related stories.
(Photo: J. J. Bruno, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.)
Kirk sidelines Bible to ‘play for the team’
Posted on May 17, 2015
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“The Church of Scotland has voted in favour of allowing people in same sex civil partnerships to be called as ministers and deacons.
The historic decision was made by the General Assembly on the Mound in Edinburgh today, where the motion was passed by 309 votes in favour and 182 against. …
In a speech later today the outgoing Moderator Very Rev John Chalmers is expected to say: ‘There’s something else that we have to learn as a Church and that is the power of harmony. … It’s time to play for the team.’ …
Because the debate predates the legalisation of gay marriage the proposed change mentions only civil partnerships, not same-sex marriages. The Assembly will be asked on Thursday to consider amending today’s new Church law to include ministers in same-sex marriages.”
– Press release from The Church of Scotland. (Images: Church of Scotland.)
Kanishka Raffel to be new Dean of Sydney
Posted on May 17, 2015
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“The Rev Kanishka Raffel has been appointed the new Dean of Sydney, the first person from a non-European background to hold the position.
‘I’m delighted Kanishka has accepted my appointment, which was unanimously agreed to by the Chapter, to become the next Dean of Sydney,’ said Archbishop Glenn Davies…”
– full story from SydneyAnglicans.net. (Image: St. Helen’s Bishopsgate.)
Charles Simeon and his enduring influence on Australia
Posted on May 14, 2015
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This year’s Moore College Library Day looks at the influence of Charles Simeon. It’s on Saturday 23rd May. Read the details and register for the day.
Is Christianity dying?
Posted on May 13, 2015
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“Bible Belt near-Christianity is teetering. I say let it fall.
For much of the twentieth century, especially in the South and parts of the Midwest, one had to at least claim to be a Christian to be ‘normal.’ During the Cold War, that meant distinguishing oneself from atheistic Communism. At other times, it has meant seeing churchgoing as a way to be seen as a good parent, a good neighbor, and a regular person.
It took courage to be an atheist, because explicit unbelief meant social marginalization. Rising rates of secularization, along with individualism, means that those days are over—and good riddance to them.…”
– Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention responds to a recent study on church attendance in the USA. (h/t Justin Taylor.)
Related: Back in 2000, Peter Jensen (then Principal of Moore College) spoke at the ACL Synod Dinner and made these observations about Sydney –
“The 1950s saw large church and Sunday School attendances. The churches seemed to be flourishing. But an acute observer would have been very worried even then. The Christianity of the people was not evangelical. It was a sort of ‘common Christianity’, a ‘lowest common denominator’ Christianity. It had a strong moral emphasis; Christianity was about behaviour not belief; parents sent their children to Sunday School in the hope that they would grow up decent citizens rather than committed Christians. To be born once was enough; to be born again was excessive. The ranks of church-goers were swollen with the unsaved. The real religion was materialism.”
– Read it all in the ACL News of March 2001 – PDF file. (Text-only version here.)
Christians and other religious minorities mentioned in Pakistan school textbooks for first time
Posted on May 13, 2015
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“In a landmark triumph for the country’s religious minorities, Pakistan’s history school textbooks will include the role of Christians, Hindus and Sikhs in the formation of the country in the years following independence…”
– Report from Barnabas Fund.
Schools, Scripture and Book Banning in NSW
Posted on May 12, 2015
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“There has been quite some concern in Christian circles in my home State of NSW over the last few days, over bureaucratic action to ‘ban’ some books from being used in Special Religious Education classes.
While events are still unfolding (the relevant Department has so far made no general public comment on the matter, which seems to be promised for the coming week), it seems worthwhile to set some of this dispute in legal context…”
– Neil Foster shares some much-needed background to SRE in schools at Law & Religion Australia.
Thank God for William Tyndale
Posted on May 12, 2015
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Potted history from Adam Ford.
Thank God for William Tyndale.
Watch NEXUS 2015
Posted on May 11, 2015
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The NEXUS 2015 Conference was held today at Ryde, in Sydney. If you missed it, you can watch the recording of the livestream thanks to the organisers.
Simon Manchester, Mark Thompson and Phil Colgan were this year’s main speakers. Very encouraging and worthwhile.
The video begins with Dominic Steele interviewing some of the attendees. The first talk (Simon Manchester on Galatians 6) starts at 64 minutes in.
‘Men Praying for Moore’ Night
Posted on May 10, 2015
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“Parallel to the Prayer Support Group (a group of faithful women that meets regularly and has prayed for the College for over 50 years), Moore has created the opportunity for Christian men to support the College in this way…”
– What a good idea! Monday 18th May 2015.
A road trip to remember
Posted on May 9, 2015
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“With the help of some long-suffering friends and wonderful work colleagues, who have joined me on and off over various days, I have read through the Bible across the month of April at every mainland parish in the Sydney Diocese, a few of our retirement villages and two of our theological colleges…
After our Bible readings I spoke about Anglican Aid’s Chappo and Hope Partnership to raise funds for bursaries to train young men and women at Bible colleges and schools across Africa.”
– David Mansfield gives thanks for The Flawless Bible Tour – at SydneyAnglicans.net.
Download the Flawless Bible Tour flier, with details of Anglican Aid’s Chappo & Hope Partnership. (1.7MB PDF file.)
Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, announces intention to retire
Posted on May 8, 2015
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From Bishop Harrower’s blog –
“Today, I have communicated the following to the Diocese of Tasmania. I ask for your prayers for our Anglican Family of Tasmania as we bring a season of leadership to a close and toward a new season. Read more
CEP and SRE publications — further updated
Posted on May 7, 2015
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Here’s a statement from Youthworks regarding an inaccurate article in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Update: ‘Three Christian books banned from SRE curriculum in NSW’ – Bible Society.
Update 2, May 8th: Clarification sought on SRE books – SydneyAnglicans.net –
“The Diocese of Sydney has asked for clarification of an Education Department directive on materials in the Special Religious Education curriculum.
This follows a Victorian lobby group’s claim about the publication, Teen Sex by the Book by noted sexual health expert Patricia Weerakoon. …
‘There is significant concern and outrage from within the Anglican Community and the broader Christian community in response to this unprecedented action of the DEC banning SRE books and other Christian resources.’ said the director of the Anglican SRE office Jon Thorpe.
‘The legislation allows approved SRE providers to educate students in the chosen faith of the family.…’.”
Update 3 – Cross-border battle erupts over religious education in school – SBS report, aired May 8th 2015 (video expires May 15.)
Image: SBS.
Safe havens for Christians rapidly diminish in north-eastern Syria
Posted on May 7, 2015
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“We are going through a terrible time,” says Archbishop Jacques Behnan Hindo, who is based in Syria’s north-eastern city of Hassake. “The jihadists of the Islamic State attacked Hassake for two days… We are cut off, like an island, surrounded by jihadists from all sides.”
– Report from Barnabas Fund.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…